Two people died Tuesday — including the driver of a car being chased by Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputies — in a crash on eastbound U.S. 6, according to law enforcement officials.
Christopher Neil Moore, 29, was driving on deflated tires after deputies attempted to stop his vehicle. He swerved into the westbound lanes of U.S. 6, sending another car off the road and into the creek alongside the highway, .
Moore was on parole at the time of the crash and is believed to have been involved in more than 30 motor vehicle break-ins across multiple jurisdictions in Colorado, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies were searching for Moore when his car was spotted near Floyd Hill on U.S. 40 shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s officials said.
Clear Creek deputies and Idaho Springs police officers tried to stop Moore’s Chrysler Town and Country minivan on U.S. 40, but the man fled, sheriff’s officials said.
Moore led police on a chase down U.S. 6 and entered eastbound Interstate 70 via an off-ramp. He drove the wrong way on I-70 for about half a mile before turning around.
On his return, Moore ran over “stop sticks” deployed by a deputy at the eastbound I-70 exit to U.S. 6, which punctured and deflated his tires. Sheriff’s officials said the man reentered U.S. 6 and drove east.
While driving on deflated tires, Moore lost control of his vehicle, swerved into the westbound lanes and collided with a Lexus RX350 SUV, according to a news release from the State Patrol.
The Lexus was pushed off the roadway and rolled into Clear Creek. The Lexus driver was flown to a hospital, and later died, according to the news release.
The driver of the Lexus was identified by the State Patrol as Steven Ainsworth, 51, of Arvada.
Moore died at the scene of the crash, the State Patrol said. Paramedics took his passenger, a 27-year-old woman, to the hospital with minor injuries.
Three Jefferson County sheriff’s vehicles crashed on westbound U.S. 6 while en route to assist with the police chase, according to the State Patrol.
One vehicle hit a raised metal construction plate and went airborne, causing the two vehicles accompanying it to crash as the drivers attempted to avoid the airborne vehicle, state patrol officials said.
At least one deputy was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
